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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 2022)
A6 BAKER CITY HERALD • THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022 THE WEST Actor Jack Black, family, visit Wallowa Lake Groups sign letter backing the River Democracy Act BY JEFF BUDLONG Wallowa County Chieftain JOSEPH — “School of Rock” star Jack Black proved to be a quick study when it came to fishing lessons during his weekend trip to the Wal- lowa Lake Marina. Black and his family were in Wallowa County, where they dined and enjoyed a day on the lake with the help of ma- rina staff. “(Store manager) Duncan Christman met him down at the (Glacier Grill) and offered to have him come out on a pontoon boat with us the next day,” said Brandon Keeling, who is the Wallowa Lake Ma- rina Inc. vice president. “We took them around the lake, we took them fishing and they went swimming.” Black was there with his family — which included his parents, siblings and aunts and uncles — because his father had previously visited the area with a hiking group. A mem- ber of the group recently died, leading to the Blacks choosing Wallowa County as a place to come together as a family. Keeling said the entire party picked up on fishing fast after he gave a quick lesson with Black snagging the biggest rainbow trout of the group and his father a close second. Signers include conservation groups, outdoor organizations BY MICHAEL KOHN Oregon Capital Bureau A plan to protect thou- sands of miles of rivers and streams in Oregon received renewed attention last week when dozens of organizations banded together to encourage politicians to speed up the passage of the bill. Seventy-five organizations across the state sent a joint letter to Oregon Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley urging them to pass the River Democracy Act. The letter is signed mainly by conservation groups and out- door sporting and fishing or- ganizations. If passed, the bill would add nearly 4,700 miles of riv- ers and streams in Oregon to the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The federal designa- tion, created in 1968, protects rivers and develops them for tourism, just as national parks and national forests protect designated areas of land. Rivers can be listed as having wild, scenic or recre- ational value. Wyden and Merkley intro- duced the River Democracy Act, Senate Bill 192, in Febru- ary 2021. More than 15,000 streams and rivers were nominated by Oregonians for inclusion in the act after Wyden called on state resi- dents to suggest their favorite waterways in 2019. In Bend, one nomination came from a group of sixth graders at Pa- cific Crest Middle School. But the bill has its detrac- tors too. In January, U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, spoke out against the act on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, declaring that it will create a wildfire risk in Oregon’s watersheds. Bentz argued that the act puts forests at risk because it al- Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald, File Rock Creek in the Elkhorn Mountains west of Haines is among more than a dozen streams that would be added to the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act list under the River Democracy Act sponsored by Ore- gon’s U.S. senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley. lows prescribed burns with- out conducting thinning op- erations. The American Forest Re- sources Council, which rep- resents logging interests, is among the groups that de- fend Bentz’s position. “We continue to oppose the River Democracy Act be- cause it will increase the risk of severe wildfires, threaten our communities, impede public access, and impact multiple uses of public lands,” said Nick Smith, the council’s public affairs director. “Cat- astrophic wildfires including subsequent erosion and sed- imentation pose the greatest threat to watersheds and riv- ers, and water quantity and quality.” Smith said more manage- ment of federal lands will help reduce wildfire. “Rather than imposing more arbitrary designations and restrictions on federal lands, Oregon’s federal rep- resentatives should focus on giving public lands managers more resources and tools to proactively reduce wildfire risks, maintain access, and protect our forests, rivers, and communities,” said Smith. Wyden’s office has pushed back against the argument that forests will be at a greater risk for fire, stating that the bill requires agencies to im- plement a fire risk-reduction plan across a half-mile corri- dor on either side of a river or stream. The letter sent last week was supported by riverkeeper groups, guiding associations, watershed councils and pad- dling clubs, among others. “Although our groups rep- resent a wide variety of in- terests, purposes, and people across the state, we all have at least one thing in common — a love of Oregon’s rivers,” stated a portion of the letter. “They provide us with clean drinking water, our favorite swimming holes, and places to take our families fishing and boating.” The designations would add protection for fish, wild- life, clean drinking water and recreation in watersheds in- cluding the Deschutes, Meto- lius, McKenzie, and others. The next step for the act is a vote by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Com- mittee, which is chaired by West Virginia Sen. Joe Man- chin, a Democrat. Wyden told The Bulletin that public lands bills tend to get a close look at the end of the year, and he is preparing to have it voted on in the Sen- ate by that time. His office is in communication with Man- chin specifically to seek the necessary votes to get the bill passed. “In terms of public lands, we’re going to fairly soon have some mark-ups, where the legislation is formally considered and pulling out all the stops for it,” said Wyden. “We are getting all the small businesses from rural Oregon behind it and we are pleased about the coalition coming together.” Hotline Continued from A5 The Crisis Assistance Help- ing Out On The Streets (CA- HOOTS) team from White Bird Clinic has been operating for more than 30 years, and it’s only getting more attention over time. The National Suicide Pre- vention Lifeline was au- thorized by Congress back in 2005. It now has 180 in- dependently operated and funded local call centers. The national network also includes 38 call and chat programs and three that are specifically for Spanish speakers. Lines for Life is just one Text us your tire photo Insurance from 541-519-8878 Gregg Hinrichsen we will text back with a quote for new tires! 1722 Campbell 541-523-7778 1 Electrical By: E astern O regon E lectric, I nc. Brent Joseph, owner 541-523-3673 ccb#155399 4 Call to have your home related business added to this ad monthly Lumber by: Miller’s Lumber & Truss Lighting & Cabinets 3815 Pocahontas 1 3 2 Vinyl Windows by: Paper Delivered by Baker City Herald NeHi Enterprises PO Box 807 2122 10th Street 541-523-6008 component of the national program. The nonprofit’s counterpart down in Marion County, for example, is called Northwest Human Services. Starting July 16, all of these call centers share the 988 phone number. Anyone call- ing will be routed to the clos- est one based on area code. The goal will be to give some- one a person to talk with, and if needed, someone to talk with in person. If necessary they can also provide someone a place to go. It’s an ambitious program that will be paid for by the fed- eral government. It’s expected to cost taxpayers $282 million in 2022. 541-523-6404 CCB 151441 541-523-9176 1722 Campbell The entire family reeled in at least one fish with Black’s fa- ther snagging the first within 30 seconds of dipping his line. And, yes, both Black and his father cleaned the fish they kept. “The family was absolutely wonderful and a joy to be around,” Keeling said. “He was out here picking up kids and taking pictures with every- body. He is out here spend- ing hours out of his day doing photo ops around the com- munity.” A quick search of Facebook reveals the numerous Wallowa County residents and visitors who got to snap a picture with the actor. Keeling credited Black for his down-to-earth nature and willingness to en- gage with everyone who ap- proached. Black isn’t the first celebrity to take in the impressive na- ture views the area has to offer. “Napoleon Dynamite” star Jon Heder has hiked in the area, but did not make it to the ma- rina. The experience is some- thing that the marina’s staff, including Wallowa Lake Ma- rina Inc. President Casey Barstad’s daughter, Jaiden, won’t forget anytime soon. “It made our week pretty dang awesome,” Keeling said. Garage Door by: NeHi Enterprises 2122 10th Street 541-523-6008 ccb#155399 5 6 Storage Building from Countryside Sheds www.countrysidesheds.com Shop Display: Lew Brothers Tire Service 541-523-3679 210 Bridge St. Baker City, OR 10505 S. McAlister Rd., Island City 541-663-0246 7 Do you have a business to help our readers build or maintain a “dream” home? Call 541-523-3673 to ask about advertising in this space!
